Austinites Celebrate City’s Global Role In Conserving Wildlife

Global Wildlife Conservation’s Annual Earth Day Event Highlights Austin’s Worldwide Impact

For immediate release

April 28, 2017

AUSTIN, TX—Leaders in Austin’s community joined conservationists working around the planet the evening of April 27 to celebrate Austin-based Global Wildlife Conservation’s recent wins for wildlife and wildlands. About 300 guests attended the third annual Wild Night for Wildlife, which raised significant support for and awareness about GWC’s mission to conserve the diversity of life on Earth.

“Austinites and Texans clearly care about the future of this planet and are committed to helping protect the species we share it with, even those in faraway corners of the world,” said Wes Sechrest, GWC chief scientist and CEO. “Wild Night for Wildlife is a chance to celebrate Austin’s incredible connection to wildlife conservation successes worldwide. This kind of outward and exciting support is an energizing force as we continue this vital conservation work.”

Over the past year, GWC joined an ambitious new partnership to identify, map, monitor and conserve Key Biodiversity Areas, places that include vital habitat for threatened species. GWC and partners celebrated the incredible designation of the largest critical habitat in the Philippines, and the thwarting of plans in Jamaica to build a transshipment port in the country’s largest protected area. And on April 19 GWC launched the first phase of the Search for Lost Species, the largest-ever global quest to find and protect species that have not been seen in decades.

“By working on the frontlines of conservation, Global Wildlife Conservation is making a tremendous difference for wildlife in some of the most biodiverse places on Earth,” said GWC board chairman and Austin-based Vista Equity Partners president and co-founder Brian Sheth, whose Sangreal Foundation this month made a $10 million matching gift to GWC. “These wildlife and wild places ensure healthy ecosystems, which give us our clean air and clean water and are deeply connected to us in additional ways we’re just starting to understand. They are also a source of the irreplaceable beauty that makes our planet wholly unique.”

Wild Night for Wildlife was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Sangreal Foundation and Austinites Adria and Brian Sheth. The event sponsors were CrossOver, Deloitte, Fund II Foundation, PeopleAdmin, RBC Capital Markets, RetailMeNot, Shea & Company, Vista Equity Partners and World Class Capital Group.

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Photo: GWC board chairman and Austin-based Vista Equity Partners president and co-founder Brian Sheth addresses guests at a Wild Night for Wildlife in Austin. (Photo by Georges Schemagin)

Global Wildlife Conservation

Global Wildlife Conservation envisions a thriving Earth where all life flourishes. GWC conserves the diversity of life on Earth by preserving wildlands, restoring wildlife and engaging with global guardians. Driven by science, GWC maximizes its impact through conservation solutions in research and exploration, land purchase and protected area establishment, protected area management, poaching prevention, and capacity building. Learn more at globalwildlife.org

Contact

Lindsay Renick Mayer

Global Wildlife Conservation

lrenickmayer@globalwildlife.org

512-686-6225